The six things worth writing down
- Access. Gate codes, lockboxes, which door to use, where to park, building or HOA rules.
- Equipment location. Where the unit, panel, shutoff, pool pad or water heater is, and how to reach it: attic hatch, crawl space, roof, canopy.
- Tools and parts. Ladder height, filter sizes, part numbers, anything that isn’t on every truck.
- Safety. Dogs, steep roofs, weak attic floors, chemical sensitivities.
- People. Who to call, when to call ahead, who can approve extra work.
- Preferences and history. Shoe covers, unscented products, rooms to skip, what went wrong last time.
The template
| Field | Example |
|---|---|
| Access | Gate code 2580#. Visitor parking next to Building C. |
| Equipment | Condenser on the canopy over the main entrance. No way out to it from inside. |
| Bring | Extension ladder. Two 16x25x1 filters. |
| Safety | No railing at the canopy edge. |
| Contact | Call 30 minutes ahead. Customer needs time to get to the lobby door. |
| Preferences | Prefers afternoon visits. |
| Last visit | Sep 2025: first tech came without a ladder. Done on the third trip. |
Keep each note to one line a tech can read in two seconds. Add a second line for details if you need it.
Which notes should be required checks
Not every note needs a checkbox. Make a note a required check when forgetting it means the job can’t be done on this trip:
- A ladder or lift taller than the one on every truck
- A specific part the customer already approved
- Filter sizes or materials that aren’t standard stock
- An inspector or customer meeting at a set time
Gate codes and parking are information. “Call 30 minutes ahead” is a reminder on the way. If every note is required, techs tap through them without reading.
Where site notes should live
- On the customer or the address, not the appointment. Notes written on a single work order disappear when the job is closed.
- On the tech’s phone, before the trip. A note the tech only sees after arriving is too late for a ladder.
- Editable by the office and the tech. Techs find things out on site. Let them add a note, and let the office tidy it up.
Collecting notes from existing customers
You don’t have to do it all at once. Start with recurring customers: maintenance plans, weekly routes, quarterly services. Ask techs to add one note after each visit for a month. Most of the important details come in within one season.
In KeptField, site notes sit on the customer’s profile and the important ones become required checks the tech confirms before tapping “On my way.” We help load your existing notes during setup.